Musnad Ishaq

Benefits:
From the aforementioned hadith, it is understood that the time for Fajr prayer is from the appearance of dawn until sunrise. It is stated in Sahih Muslim: ((وَوَقْتُ صَلاةِ الصُّبْحِ مِنْ طُلُوْعِ الْفَجْرِ مَا لَمْ تَطْلُعِ الشَّمْسُ.)) (Muslim, no. 612) ... “The time for the Fajr prayer is from the appearance of dawn until the sun rises.”

It is thus understood that the time for the Fajr prayer lasts until sunrise; whoever prays after that, it will be considered a make-up (qada) prayer.

It is also understood that shortening the prayer (qasr) during travel is legislated; rather, it is a concession from Allah, the Possessor of Majesty, as Allah, the Possessor of Majesty, says: ﴿فَلَیْسَ عَلَیْکُمْ جُنَاحٌ اَنْ تَقْصُرُوْا مِنَ الصَّلٰوۃِ﴾ (an-Nisa: 101) “There is no sin upon you if you shorten the prayer.”

This is a concession from Allah, the Possessor of Majesty, and the person who acts upon the concessions of Allah, the Possessor of Majesty, is very beloved to Him, as is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Umar radi Allahu anhuma, that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: “Indeed, Allah loves that His concessions be acted upon just as He dislikes that acts of disobedience to Him be committed.” (Musnad Ahmad: 2/108; Sahih al-Jami‘ as-Saghir, no. 91886)

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Umar radi Allahu anhuma that among the teachings of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam is that Allah has commanded us to perform only two units (rak‘ahs) of prayer during travel. (Sahih Sunan an-Nasa’i, no. 443; Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah, no. 946; Sunan Ibn Majah, no. 1066)

In light of these evidences, Imam Abu Hanifah rahimahullah has declared qasr during travel to be obligatory. Imam Shawkani rahimahullah and ash-Shaykh Abdur Rahman Mubarakpuri rahimahullah also hold this view. (as-Sayl al-Jarrar: 1/306; Tuhfat al-Ahwadhi: 3/133)

It is also understood that before the Hijrah, in Makkah al-Mukarramah, two units of prayer were obligatory in both travel and residence. Sayyidah Aishah radi Allahu anha says: ((اِلَّا الْمَغْرِبَ فَاِنَّهَا وِتْرُ النَّهَارِ وَاِلَّا الصُّبْحَ فَاِنَّهَا تَطُوْلُ فِیْہَا الْقِرَائَةِ)) (Musnad Ahmad: 6/241) “Except for Maghrib, for it is the witr of the day, and except for the Fajr prayer, for in it the recitation is lengthened.”

It is thus understood that, except for Maghrib and Fajr, the rest of the prayers should be performed in shortened form (qasr). From the aforementioned hadith, it is also understood that when one begins a journey, qasr begins as soon as one leaves the city limits. The question arises: for what distance is qasr performed? Sayyiduna Anas radi Allahu anhu reports that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, when he set out for a journey of three miles or three farsakhs, would perform two rak‘ahs of prayer. (Muslim, Kitab Salat al-Musafirin, no. 681) The scholars say that the measure of a mile is approximately 1600 meters. (Tawdih al-Ahkam: 2/539)

And one farsakh is three miles. This makes nine miles; the scholars, as a precaution, have preferred the wording of three farsakhs, i.e., nine miles. Hafiz Ibn Hajar rahimahullah, regarding this narration of mile or farsakh, says that this is the most authentic and explicit narration on this issue. (Fath al-Bari: 2/567) In the above narration, it is also mentioned that upon reaching Makkah al-Mukarramah, the Noble Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam and the two Shaykhs radi Allahu anhuma would perform qasr. It is thus understood that even during residence in travel, one should perform the prayer in shortened form (qasr). But for how many days’ intention of stay is it permissible to perform qasr during residence? In some narrations, it is mentioned that the Noble Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam stayed in Makkah al-Mukarramah for ten days; in some, seventeen days; in some, fifteen days; and in some, nineteen days. (Bukhari, no. 1080; Sunan Abi Dawud, nos. 1230, 1333; Sunan Ibn Majah, no. 1075) Imam Shawkani rahimahullah has interpreted these as cases of uncertainty. And when there is uncertainty and doubt, then for however many days one stays, one may perform qasr.

Sayyiduna Ibn Umar radi Allahu anhuma, in the region of Azerbaijan, continued to perform two rak‘ahs of prayer for six months in a state of uncertainty. (Ma‘rifat as-Sunan wal-Athar lil-Bayhaqi: 4/274) Imam Nawawi rahimahullah has declared its chain to be according to the conditions of the two Shaykhs (i.e., Bukhari and Muslim).

Sayyiduna Anas radi Allahu anhu continued to perform qasr prayer for two years in the region of Fars. (Tahdhib al-Athar Musnad Umar: 1/257)

There is consensus among the scholars that in a state of uncertainty, a person may always perform qasr. But if a person knows that he will stay in that area for a certain number of days, then for how many days’ stay is qasr permissible?

Imam Malik, Imam Shafi‘i, and Imam Ahmad rahimahumullah say that if one intends to stay for four days, then from the first day he should perform the full prayer, and if he intends to stay for three days, then he should perform qasr.

Imam Abu Hanifah rahimahullah has expressed the opinion that if one intends to stay for fifteen days, then he should perform the full prayer, and if he intends to stay for less than that, then he should perform qasr. (Kitab al-Umm: 1/319; al-Mughni: 3/148; al-Hidayah: 1/82)

Those scholars who hold the view that if one intends to stay for three days, qasr is permissible, their evidence is that the Noble Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: “The emigrant is permitted to stay (in Makkah) for three days upon returning (from Mina).” (Bukhari, no. 1073; Sunan Ibn Majah, no. 1073)

Imam Shawkani rahimahullah holds the view that if one intends to stay for four days, he should perform qasr. (Nayl al-Awtar: 2/487)

His evidence is that the Noble Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam entered Makkah on the fourth of Dhul-Hijjah and then, on the morning of the eighth, after Fajr, departed for Mina. It is also understood that qasr may be performed until returning to Madinah.

In Sahih Bukhari, it is mentioned that Sayyiduna Ali radi Allahu anhu, when he set out (from Kufa with the intention of travel), began to perform qasr prayer immediately, even though the houses of Kufa were still visible. And upon his return, when he was informed that Kufa was in sight, he said: “We will not perform the full prayer until we enter the city.” (Bukhari, Kitab Taqsir as-Salat: 1089)